1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for holding bait for fishing and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for positioning bait near a fishing hook.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fishermen have an option between using non-living bait and live bait when fishing. Live bait may have certain advantages, but there are also certain disadvantages associated with the use of live bait. For example, most often, when live bait, such as worms, minnows, and grasshoppers, is employed, the live bait is skewered by a fishing hook. Pushing a fishing hook through a live creature may impact great trauma on the creature and may in fact kill the bait so that it is no longer alive. Even if the live bait is not killed by a fishing hook, it can be sufficiently injured so that it is not active on the hook and may not readily attract a fish. Moreover, in the process of placing live bait on a hook, it is a common result that the bait shifts or wiggles, and the fishing hook accidentally cuts into the fisherman's skin causing pain, injury, and the risk of infection. Moreover, there are some fishermen who are squeamish about pushing a fishing hook through a living creature. For the numerous reasons set forth above, it would be desirable if a device were provided that retains live bait near a fishing hook without requiring the fishing hook to penetrate into the live bait.
In the prior, U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,575 discloses a bait positioning and attachment device which positions live bait near a fishing hook without requiring the fishing hook to penetrate the live bait. However, with the device in this patent, a flexible strip must penetrate the live bait in order to secure the live bait near the hook. As stated above, penetration into live bait may kill or disable the live bait. Therefore, it would be desirable if a device were provided which permitted live bait to be positioned near a fishing hook without requiring that the live bait be penetrated by any device.
The following patents may be of interest for their disclosure of devices for securing bait to a fishing hook by penetrating the bait with the fishing hook: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,216,829; 5,301,452; and 5,339,559. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,989 may be of interest for its disclosure of a fish handling net.
Still other features would be desirable in a live bait holding and positioning device. Different types of live bait come in different sizes and different shapes. In this respect, it would be desirable if a live bait holding and positioning device were provided which is adjustable to live bait of different sizes and different shapes.
The environment in which a live bait holding and positioning device is employed is generally a wet environment. In this respect, it would be desirable for a live bait holding and positioning device to be easily operated in a wet environment. When a live bait holding and positioning device is placed near a fishing hook, it is important that it not get in the way of the hook; that is, when a fish strikes at the live bait, the fishing hook should be in a direct line of the strike so that the fish is hooked when attempting to get at the live bait.
To avoid complexity of manufacturing and use, it would be desirable if a live bait holding and positioning device were made of one-piece construction. Since the live bait holding and positioning device is exposed to aqueous environments, it would be desirable for the live bait holding and positioning device to be made from materials that are not corroded in an aqueous environment.
The live bait holding and positioning device is an adjunct to a conventional fishing hook and fishing line. As such, the live bait holding and positioning device should be readily attachable to a conventional fishing line for positioning adjacent to a conventional fishing hook.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use a live bait holding and positioning device, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a live bait holding and positioning device which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) retains live bait near a fishing hook without requiring the fishing hook to penetrate into the live bait; (2) permits live bait to be positioned near a fishing hook without requiring the live bait to be penetrated by any device; (3) is adjustable to live bait of different sizes and different shapes; (4) is easily operated in a wet environment; (5) is located in a direct line of strike with a fishing hook when a fish strikes so that the fish is hooked when attempting to get at the live bait; (6) is made of one-piece construction; (7) is made from materials that are not corroded in an aqueous environment; and (8) is readily attachable to a conventional fishing line for positioning adjacent to a conventional fishing hook. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique hookless bait holder apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.